This invention generally relates to methods and systems for selling software applications. More specifically, the invention relates to methods and systems for encouraging users to purchase software applications after being provided with trial or demonstration versions or samples of the applications.
Companies often make programs for evaluation purposes. Such software applications may be run on a computer, kiosk, web-TV, or other device. Often, such applications display text and images in windows on monitors and provide graphical user interfaces with which users interact with the applications. Typical applications include text and image editors, mail systems, web browsers, financial programs, games, drawing programs, music players, and various office application software. The software vendor may send the programs to consumers for free. Consumers can download programs from the Internet or load them on to their computers from a CD, and the consumers can use the programs during a certain period of time.
Most of the time, the programs have expiration dates beyond which consumers cannot use the programs. For example, a user may be able to download a program such as a text editor and use it for one month until the program expires. Close to the end of the expiration period, the program starts to send a warning message to the user, informing the user that he needs to buy the licensed version of the program, otherwise the program will expire. If the user does not buy the program, the demo program will stop working after the evaluation period. Also, the user can buy a software key (typically a code) that will remove the expiration date and allow the program to continue to work.
This approach is often problematic. When the program stops working, the user often decides to find another company that makes a similar program with similar functionality. Often, the person goes back to the vender's web site, again downloads the demo version of the program, and uses it for another month until it too expires, without ever buying the program.
A current challenge to manufacturers is to determine ways to encourage users to buy the trial products. Manufacturers need methods that are more effective than simply suddenly stopping the use of the product.